I wasn't going to bother going birding this morning, but the gloomy skies and overnight rain convinced me otherwise. I just couldn't get the image of a kingbird perched on top of a garry oak out of my head...
Anyhoo, my premonition proved unfounded (in all honesty, I'm rather relieved that I haven't suddenly developed some life-changing extra sensory perception) and the Government House grounds were pretty quiet.
A Wilson's warbler was enticed out from some dense, verdant undergrowth courtesy of some gentle pishing, and a pair of noisy male brown-headed cowbirds were busily pursuing a female. Even the local starlings seemed unimpressed by these brood-parasites' presence.
The usual other suspects; red-breasted nuthatches, bushtits, orange-crowned warbler, Cooper's hawk, spotted towhee etc, etc, were all seen or heard around the woodland trail.
I left just in time - a photographer, along with his subjects, was just revving up for the finals of the Great Canadian Shouting Contest. He was very good at it.
Around mid-day a group of c20 cedar waxwings were at the junction of Pentrelew Place and Fort Street.
Showing posts with label brown-headed cowbird. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brown-headed cowbird. Show all posts
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Monday, 28 February 2011
Early Migrants Make A Show
Popped over to Quennell Lake after work this evening, to see if anything was going on.
The place was notably devoid of the usual large gaggles of Canada geese; the collection of decoy birds behind the farm probably went some way to explaining why they might be avoiding the area...
Just 6 trumpeter swans were in the area and all the shovelers present a couple of days ago had moved out.
In fact, duck numbers were low all round with just a couple of ring-necked duck, common and hooded mergansers to be seen out on the lake. In the shallower waters there were a dozen pintail and 18 mallard.
The most notable thing was the singing of red-winged blackbirds, who were in fine voice. As I scanned briefly through them I noticed 6 brown-headed cowbirds, my first of the spring. Did I say spring? Hahaha... didn't bloody feel like it.
The place was notably devoid of the usual large gaggles of Canada geese; the collection of decoy birds behind the farm probably went some way to explaining why they might be avoiding the area...
Just 6 trumpeter swans were in the area and all the shovelers present a couple of days ago had moved out.
In fact, duck numbers were low all round with just a couple of ring-necked duck, common and hooded mergansers to be seen out on the lake. In the shallower waters there were a dozen pintail and 18 mallard.
The most notable thing was the singing of red-winged blackbirds, who were in fine voice. As I scanned briefly through them I noticed 6 brown-headed cowbirds, my first of the spring. Did I say spring? Hahaha... didn't bloody feel like it.
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Spring limps on...
Another glorious morning with the wind from the wrong direction... Spent a pre-work hour wandering around the Nanaimo River estuary in search of, well, anything really.
Not too much doing, the usual white-crowned & savannah sparrows, yellow-rumped & orange-crowned warblers, towhees, red crossbills and such were in evidence but not much else.
A single greater yellowlegs flew over.
An American goldfinch was singing near the oak.
Stopped off at Holden Creek on my way home.
The tide was rising, but there was enough mud on the creek to interest a few least sandpipers and a spotted sandpiper. More 'peeps' (as our American birding chums, and certain UK twitchers insist on calling them) were out on the marsh, but the low sun behind them rendered them specifically unidentifiable, though those that got up and flew around calling were all leasts.
A greater yellowlegs was in attendance.
A pair of male brown-headed cowbirds were trying to woo a female (fem pictured), and engaging in some impressive moves. These are the first I've seen here, and are presumably new in.
Two males and a female purple martin joined the mass of barn, tree & violet-green swallows, from time to time, while smaller numbers of norther rough-winged and cliff swallows were also present. Another singing goldfinch was showing well and 12 white-fronted geese were back in the fields.
A female northern harrier was hunting over the fields too.
Not too much doing, the usual white-crowned & savannah sparrows, yellow-rumped & orange-crowned warblers, towhees, red crossbills and such were in evidence but not much else.
A single greater yellowlegs flew over.
An American goldfinch was singing near the oak.
The tide was rising, but there was enough mud on the creek to interest a few least sandpipers and a spotted sandpiper. More 'peeps' (as our American birding chums, and certain UK twitchers insist on calling them) were out on the marsh, but the low sun behind them rendered them specifically unidentifiable, though those that got up and flew around calling were all leasts.
A greater yellowlegs was in attendance.
A pair of male brown-headed cowbirds were trying to woo a female (fem pictured), and engaging in some impressive moves. These are the first I've seen here, and are presumably new in.
Two males and a female purple martin joined the mass of barn, tree & violet-green swallows, from time to time, while smaller numbers of norther rough-winged and cliff swallows were also present. Another singing goldfinch was showing well and 12 white-fronted geese were back in the fields.
A female northern harrier was hunting over the fields too.
Saturday, 17 April 2010
Cinnamon adds spice to the day
A late afternoon check of Quennel Lake proved rewarding. The rain had stopped, and the sun was even having a go at shining.
Amongst the many hirundines, mostly tree and violet-green swallows, were reasonable numbers of barn swallow, at least 1 cliff and 1 northern rough-winged swallow.
A brown-headed cowbird was sniffing around the Brewer's blackbirds - a year-tick.
3 dunlin and 5 smaller waders were feeding on a distant muddy spit but at that range, I was hard pushed to confirm their identity.
They actually looked most like semi-palmated sandpiper, very grey overall in appearance with no discernible 'warmth' to the plumage, looked short billed and dark legged but, as I say the distance was too great. I do realise, also, that this species is highly unlikely here in spring, as opposed to the much commoner western and least. Sometimes, having a 'scope is even more frustrating than not having one!
Then came the real beauty - a drake cinnamon teal, which, while also being miles away, at least had the decency to be bright ginger, and stand out like a sore thumb. Despite this, it spent considerable time lurking and dabbling in the emergent vegetation at the lakeside and would disappear frequently. It seemed to be keeping close to one particular female, which appeared clearly paler than the nearby female green-wingeds. At one point a bald eagle flew over the lake and all the wildfowl took to the air, the male cinnamon and the female, took off with a group of wigeon and pintail while the other teal went in the opposite direction. The pair were spectacular in flight and easy to pick out, and at least I could confirm that the female wasn't a GW, though blue-winged couldn't be ruled out.
I've made the drake obvious in the pic, just in case anyone thought that it was an old rusty paint can floating in the lake....
Amongst the many hirundines, mostly tree and violet-green swallows, were reasonable numbers of barn swallow, at least 1 cliff and 1 northern rough-winged swallow.
A brown-headed cowbird was sniffing around the Brewer's blackbirds - a year-tick.
3 dunlin and 5 smaller waders were feeding on a distant muddy spit but at that range, I was hard pushed to confirm their identity.
They actually looked most like semi-palmated sandpiper, very grey overall in appearance with no discernible 'warmth' to the plumage, looked short billed and dark legged but, as I say the distance was too great. I do realise, also, that this species is highly unlikely here in spring, as opposed to the much commoner western and least. Sometimes, having a 'scope is even more frustrating than not having one!
I've made the drake obvious in the pic, just in case anyone thought that it was an old rusty paint can floating in the lake....
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